Become A Pet Sitter they said

byLouiseBT

8.4K followers

Updated 6 years ago

Become a Pet Sitter they said, it'll be fun they said! So we did! It's no secret that employment in South Africa is scarce and money becoming tighter by the day (a perfect opportunity to market the Wealthy Affiliate opportunity!).

2016

In October 2016 a well-meaning family member recommended that we consider Pet and House Sitting.

Bear in mind that I was petrified of big dogs, but desperate means call for desperate measures. With our meager budget we put together a rudimentary advert which we pinned up in all the local libraries, vet's, pet stores and anywhere else that had a noticeboard or would allow us to. We were blessed, the business came in, slowly but steadily. Our first job was a challenge for me, this is why ...

Oh yes, we got the giant breed of Great Danes! Not one, but two! The male was a naughty teenager, full of mischief and energy. Blighter nipped me on the butt the first day I fed him. So this terrified woman quickly learned to give a good shoulder smack to correct the naughty teen Dane called Aslan. The same client had an adorable old girl Great Dane, Unathi, a chocolate Labrador, Yuma and a gorgeous little Jack Rascal, Toffee. And who could forget Princess Pouffe Pants, the black Persian kitty? Our introduction to the industry was challenging, entertaining, interesting and altogether a baptism of fire. Unathi was a gentle old soul who was rescued, I never asked for the details of her background, my only job was to love and care for her going forward. Yuma, the chocolate lab, had a penchant for the swimming pool, sadly her skin did not, so we spent our time inspecting her for hot spots under her fur. Little Toffee was adorable, the apple of everyone's eye. Princess Pouffe Pants was, as can be imagined, nothing less than royalty who deserved to be served as such! What a blessing it was to love and care for these furries.

Young Aslan certainly taught me quickly how to take the role of pack leader, and never, oh never, to turn my back (or butt) to him again!

Tallulah and Logan

A magnificent breeding pair - who fought because he wanted to suckle on her and she was none too keen! These two were strong & boisterous and regularly took us off our feet - all in the name of fun of course!

We visited Tullulah and Logan only once a day - as requested by their owner - naturally they were ravenous by then, not only for food but also company and entertainment. Hoo boy! We had our work cut out for us there!

CAZI

The adorable Collie who we stayed with night and day on a beautiful Bryanston property, gorgeous house, enormous garden, swimming pool, entertainment area with pool table, we are talking all the bells and whistles! We lived in because Cazi was a gentle soul and she was terrified of thunderstorms and the Festive Season is prime thunderstorm time in this part of the world. Cazi also loved herding our Jack Rascal, Abby, which Abby was none-too-pleased about, being accustomed to her independence as an only dog!

Cazi and Unathi have both crossed the rainbow bridge - our hearts break every time a client loses a beloved furbaby!

Rest In Peace you gorgeous girls

2018

Fast forward to December 2018, my daughter is safely ensconced in a home that we know, with furbabies who are gorgeous and gentle, a little Yorkie called BoJangles and kitty by the name of Bacardi. Who would've guessed that the owner of these furries is in his late 60s!

I on the other hand, am cohabiting with 3 wild rescue dogs who are indulged with everything possible. They sleep anywhere they like and run rampant given half a chance -

I even have to hide if I want to eat in peace!

Oh yes, that's the look I am faced with every time I try to eat - and it's times 3 furbabies, that is 6 eyes all watching me, longingly!

Today was great fun!

I arrived at a new client's house to feed their 4 Pointers, 2 aging Dashounds and 2 cats. The house looked like it hand been ransacked - there was chaos everywhere I turned! Ready to press the panic button, I surveyed the scene a little more closely - realizing I don't have the password for the security company for when they arrive, guns in hand! - only to observe that this was not a crime scene, no robbery had taken place. How did I know? The newly unwrapped Christmas gifts were all over the dinning room table. Surely a thief would have liberated that beautiful new technology, still in their boxes, no less!

The first pointer comes running through to greet me, with the packaging of Doom (insect killer) in his mouth! I wrestled that away from him, amid the chaotic surroundings - literally, things strewn all over the house, from clothes to used plates, half-eaten meals, cups, glasses, you name it! The Dashounds followed closely, growling and snapping at each other. Then come the other 3 Pointers, all full of the joys of spring, jumping up at me and wailing with excitement.

I hurriedly search the place for foods bowls, oh no! None to be found. No water available for the poochies that I can see. Improvisation kicks in as I locate a huge cooking pot, fill it with water and provide it to these 6 parched canines. Eventually I spot them, food bowls, face down on the kitchen sink, on reaching and grabbing them I wince with pain as my finger is sliced by a ceramic knife laying under the bowls! Blood spurting from my finger, surrounded by chaos, bouncing canines and cowering kitties, I am now becoming frantic! Securing some toilet paper from the bathroom, after goose-stepping over the rubble to get there, I wrap my finger tightly, too scared to examine the damage due to the amount of blood pooling in my hand.

Bleeding contained, though still continuing, I retrieve the food bowls, realize there are not enough and run around looking for additional. In the process noticing that the one Pointer is limping badly - his knee looks dislocated!!

Hastily, I make a contingency plan and place food it whatever containers I can find and stride off to the study in search of the owners number - my mobile phone was not with me, as luck would have it. On locating the house phone I realize, the owners phone number is on my mobile! Aaaargh!

The house I am staying at with the 3 unruly pooches has a swimming pool which has turned green and refuses to respond to the shock treatment I have given it. I have a water sample in my car, ready for testing at the pool shop.

Okay, okay, breath deeply. Think Louise, think! Take a drive to the pool shop, en route to the house where my mobile sits charging, buy the necessary pool chemicals, drive "home", treat the pool, find the phone, call the owner ... yes, that's it, plan is in place.

Arrive at the pool shop only to be yelled at by the owner because I have not provided him with sufficient water to test - inside the testing kit bottle!

Decide the pool is less important than the furbaby's dislocated knee - charge home, call new client, only to discover, "oh yes, poochie has a problem with that knee, we are aware of it and all is in order as has been seen by their vet".

Become a Pet Sitter they said, it'll be fun they said!

Moral of the story .... "You oughta be thankful. A whole heaping lot. For the people and places. You’re lucky you’re not". – Dr. Seuss

Blessed and Lucky

I am blessed and lucky to be here at Wealthy Affiliate, building an online business, and in the mean time, doing what I have to until I can do what I want to!

I will miss the furbabies one day, that is for sure - they will be in my heart and my thoughts as I relax by the beach, living a lap top lifestyle - thanks to Wealthy Affiliate and my successful online business!

Thank you for reading my blah for the day!

Blessings

Louise